This invention relates to bearings and specifically to bearings of the type having a raceway formed of two raceway halves or elements which terminate and mate with one another on the ball circle of a ball complement to allow the raceways to be made from stampings rather than ground members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,460, to Hogan, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a radial ball bearing having an inner race fitted on a shaft with a 2 point contact or arch type outer raceway with a complement of bearing balls therebetween. The outer race is formed of a pair of raceway halves, each providing a symmetrical half of the raceway, and terminating on the ball circle so as to not change direction of curvature measured in the axial direction. Beyond the ball circle, each raceway half has integral, axially extending flanges which are designed to matingly interfit and snap past one another, retaining the halves together and forming a cylindrical surface fittable within an axial bore. In such an application, it is not necessary that the raceway halves be held together with any great force, and a separate snap ring retention may be used to retain the bearing within the bore.